For the first time in 17 years, civil rights leaders gathered atthe South Carolina Statehouse to pay homage to the Rev. MartinLuther King Jr. without the Confederate flag casting a longshadow over them.

The flag was taken down over the summer after police said ayoung white man shot nine black church members to death during aBible study in Charleston. Following the massacre at the EmanuelAfrican Methodist Episcopal Church, Gov. Nikki Haley reversedcourse and made it a priority for lawmakers to pass legislationto remove the flag.

Bishop James Walker, who presides over the 7th EpiscopalDistrict in Connecticut, praised the National Association forthe Advancement of Colored People for its fight against the flag.

"You forced important power in high places to recognize that thescared memory of the Emanuel Nine would be parched by a symbolof injustice flying over the Capitol," he said at a prayerbreakfast.

At the Statehouse, about 1,000 people assembled under chilly,sunny skies to mark the 30th anniversary of the federal holidayhonoring the slain civil rights leader, who was killed in 1968.

It was one of many events across the country. In Michigan,people delivered bottled water to residents of Flint amid thecity's drinking water crisis. In Atlanta, an overflow crowdlistened as to the nation's housing secretary talk about the50th anniversary of King's visit to Chicago to launch a campaignfor fair housing.

In South Carolina, the state NAACP said there is still more workto do to honor King and the theme of this year's rally is"education equity," with speakers calling for South Carolina tospend more money to help students in poorer, more rural schooldistricts, which frequently have a majority of black students.

The event included appearances by all three main Democraticpresidential candidates  Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders andMartin O'Malley  and heavier police presence.

How appropriate. A black liar honored by a Clinton liar and abunch of democrat asshats.

Post by Ronny KochHow appropriate. A black liar honored by a Clinton liar and abunch of democrat asshats.

The flag, like the statues, is not about race. Its a reminder ofa a timewhen rich people persuaded their government to go to war to protecttheir business interests. We should keep that in mind so it doesn'thappen again . Oops, too late...